Basic hygiene routines and dress code for health and social care staff - Overview
Basic hygiene routines must be applied by all health and social care staff where health and social care is provided, irrespective of care provider and type of care, and whether or not the patient/care recipient is known to have an infection (SOSFS 2015:10, AFS 2018:4).
Care providers must ensure that the staff have knowledge of and apply basic hygiene routines, and receive regular skills enhancement in infection prevention and control (Health and Medical Services Act 2017:30, SFS 1985:125, AFS 2018:4, SOSFS 2011:9) [1].
The aim of basic hygiene routines is to prevent the transmission of infectious agents in health and social care services. They are the most basic measure to prevent the spread of infections and healthcare-associated infections [2].
Basic hygiene routines include rules for
- hand hygiene
- use of gloves and use of aprons and gowns
- visor/face shield or surgical face mask in combination with googles
- workwear
- hair and beard
- jewellery and bandages on hands and forearms.
The symbol below is used in Vårdhandboken (Handbook for Healthcare) for when basic hygiene routines must be applied: